Table 1.
Characteristics of the cohort of oncology RCTs included in the analysis
| Variable | Number of papers (N = 454) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Cancer site | ||
| Lung | 177 | 39.0 |
| Breast | 165 | 36.3 |
| Colorectal | 82 | 18.1 |
| Stomach | 29 | 6.4 |
| Liver | 7 | 1.5 |
| Trial design | ||
| Simple two-arm | 393 | 86.6 |
| Multiple arms | 48 | 10.6 |
| Factorial | 13 | 2.9 |
| Use of placebo | ||
| Yes | 41 | 9.0 |
| No | 413 | 91.0 |
| Treatment aim | ||
| Adjuvant/Curative | 140 | 30.8 |
| Metastatic/Palliative | 241 | 53.1 |
| Both | 43 | 9.5 |
| Supportive measures | 30 | 6.6 |
| Treatment type | ||
| Chemotherapy | 367 | 80.8 |
| Surgery | 15 | 3.3 |
| Hormones | 40 | 8.8 |
| Best supportive care | 6 | 1.3 |
| Radiation | 66 | 14.5 |
| Monoclonal antibodies/targeted agents | 63 | 13.9 |
| First line treatment | ||
| Yes | 309 | 68.1 |
| No | 145 | 31.9 |
| Funding source | ||
| Industry | 154 | 33.9 |
| Mixed | 39 | 8.6 |
| Not for profit | 107 | 23.6 |
| Not specified | 154 | 33.9 |